Bodily sensations and the work focusing around these can keep the “talk therapy” wonderfully grounded. Most often patients seeking psychotherapeutic help don’t expect to do anything but think hard and build theories that will explain their turmoil and sorrow. A big part of a therapist’s job is to calm down this expectation and allow some space for some relaxed mindful work to take place. The unconscious part of the work is really important, it is like the soil feeding the conscious mind. If the soil is rich and has the capacity to provide nurturance it creates the potential for growth and healthy being. But more often than not when we try really hard to help ourselves to feel better, we create more constriction and obstacle to a healthy flow of consciousness. I have found that even if the patient is not yet ready to focus on their bodily sensations and their whole-body state (instead of purely thinking mode), my focus on my bodiy awareness of the situation is often calming and centering. The soil is created by my awareness of the situation and the plant is allowed to grow. It is first an observation where patient and therapist discuss the looks and qualities of the plant. Then, while I am holding the space for the soil to be recognized, the patient will gradually become more aware of its existence and then will join me in admiring it, feeling it, sensing it, and eventually exploring it on an experiential level. This is a process that I wish to embrace and nurture this year in my work. I invite you to join in. I am looking forward to an abundance of interaction with people who find this work fascinating, on any level – email exchanges, forums and personal interactions. Please do stay or get in touch!
Ildiko
Ildiko@innerexperience.com
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